OC REALTORS® Blog

Come on in—the water’s fine; but take a tip or two about how to make your swimming season safer and how to use your member benefits to stretch your dollars and increase your enjoyment, whether you are at work or at play, at home or away.

Orange County REALTORS® 2018 President, Tammy Newland-Shishido is pleased to announce the election results of the 2019 Officer positions of President-Elect and Treasurer held at the June 27, 2018, Orange County REALTORS®’ Board of Directors meeting.

Board member Danielle Corliss will serve as President-Elect in 2019, President in 2020 and Immediate Past President in 2021 and Lisa Schulz will serve a one-year term as Treasurer in 2019.

Danielle Corliss: Danielle has been a REALTOR® since 1997. She is Broker/Owner of Corliss Realty Inc. in Dove Canyon.

Lisa Schulz: Lisa has been a REALTOR® since 1998, and she is currently Chief Operating Officer of HomeSmart, Evergreen Realty in Irvine.

Dave Girling is back with his latest Top 10 Economic and Other Factors That May Affect Real Estate! Familiarity with these ten factors will enable you to address questions about the real estate market, especially about real estate values and where they may be headed.

Members of Orange County REALTORS® are entitled to receive a three-month subscription to Dave Girling’s Real Estate Blog as a free member benefit. Click below to subscribe and use the code OCRFree.

Want to screen a prospective tenant? OC REALTORS® provides screening services through RentSpree at no cost and allows you to quickly and easily receive a comprehensive application package for each applicant. With RentSpree, you will be able to receive the following for each applicant:

Credit report and score

Criminal background check

Fifty state eviction history

Completed rental application

Tenant identity verification

To screen a new tenant, all you need is the applicant’s email address. Simply enter the email address into your RentSpree account and the applicant will automatically receive an email invitation to complete the application process. You can also distribute a handout during showings to get screening reports back on the spot.

Applicants complete the process and authorize their screening reports in minutes using any computer or mobile device.

Orange County REALTORS® is dedicated to providing members with valuable market data to utilize in the business. In order to provide a quick glance at the housing market, an OC Market Snapshot for both detached and attached homes will be posted online each month. Members can use these graphics for marketing materials and listing presentations. Be sure to also review the Monthly Housing Summary for a more comprehensive look at the County. For a detailed look at over 180 neighborhoods throughout Orange County, use OC FastStats.

The average of inventory for detached homes was 3.4 months. That is up slightly from last year when it was 3.2 months of supply. Attached homes inventory has increased to 2.5 months compared to 2.1 months in May of last year.

The median sales price continue to rise with detached homes coming in at $849,450 which is up 6.2% from 2017. Attached homes rose 4.7% to a median sales price of $501,000 from $478,500 last year.

It is with great sadness that we announce the passing of a beloved member and director, Elizabeth Ann Bernard Claus.

Elizabeth was born July 13, 1946 in Boston, Massachusetts and passed on April 29th, 2018 in San Clemente, California. Liz went to elementary school in the Boston Catholic Dioceses. She graduated from Regina Dominican high school in Wilmette, Illinois. She went on to graduate from Marquette University with a BA in Speech. Her dad, an attorney, who presented cases before the Supreme Court, got her a two-year internship in the White House. It was then she developed a love for politics. Liz traveled to the west coast and got a job in the film industry. While working in LA she met and married Tom who has since passed away. Liz then entered the Real Estate industry. She started with Fred Sands and ended up running all of Fred’s offices in West LA. She was living in West Hollywood and served on the West Hollywood planning commission for four years. Liz moved to Dana Point and joined Christie’s great estates as the western states manager in a territory that included every state west of the Mississippi including Alaska and Hawaii. Liz was appointed to the Dana Point Planning Commission and served 10 years. Liz met her husband Bart in 2002 while they were both working out at the same gym. Bart says, “I fell in love with Liz at first sight.” They dated and stayed together for the next 16 years, eight years of which they were married, until the Lord took her. “The Lord has taken the woman I love, my darling Liz.” All of his family and friends tell Bart she is in a “better place” and that he should be thankful for that, and he knows that. But that doesn’t make Bart miss her any less.

Arrangements are being made for Liz to be buried at sea on June 23, 2018.

Orange County REALTORS® is dedicated to providing members with valuable market data to utilize in the business. In order to provide a quick glance at the housing market, an OC Market Snapshot for both detached and attached homes will be posted online each month. Members can use these graphics for marketing materials and listing presentations. Be sure to also review the Monthly Housing Summary for a more comprehensive look at the County. For a detailed look at over 180 neighborhoods throughout Orange County, use OC FastStats.

The average of days on market for detached homes was 35 days. That is a drop from last year when it was 46 days. Attached homes sold in an average of 27 days compared to 38 days in April of last year.

The median sales prices in April for detached was $830,000 which is up 6.5% from 2017. Attached homes rose 10.2% to a median sales price of $512,250 from $465,000 last year.

The twenty applicants accepted for the Orange County REALTORS® 2nd Annual Leadership Academy in September 2017, have now graduated from the intensive eight-month leadership program, and have just returned from joining more than 2,000 REALTORS® in Sacramento for the California Association of REALTORS®’ Legislative Day on May 2, 2018.

Local and national instructors lead the monthly training programs. The 2018-2019 Leadership Academy is now accepting applications. The deadline to apply is 5 p.m. July 16, 2018. For more information, visit www.ocar.org/leadership-academy.

Orange County REALTORS® is excited to announce a partnership with OC Fair to offer discounted tickets for members to purchase. Tickets will be available for purchase starting Tuesday, May 1 at both OC REALTORS® locations for only $10 each (regularly $12-14).

The partnership comes from an ongoing search to provide valuable discounts for members. Benefits Coordinator, Alyssa Corsini-Wilson has spearheaded the search for discounts and benefits throughout Southern California. "We are constantly looking for benefits to provide to our members. The OC Fair is such a staple each summer that we thought it would be great to get discounted tickets for our members to share with their family and clients as well!" said Corsini-Wilson.

In addition to the discounted tickets, OC REALTORS® will have $2 Off Coupon books available at no cost to members. "REALTORS® can use these coupons as a farming tool to invite prospective clients to the OC Fair!" explained Corsini-Wilson. Members may pick up coupon books at either office. Limit 200 coupons per member.

Code of Ethics Training - Mandated by NAR

Existing REALTOR® members must complete 2.5 hours of ethics training, meeting specific learning objectives and criteria, within two-year cycles. REALTORS® who have completed the required ethics training within a two-year cycle in one association shall not be required to complete any further ethics training for that same training cycle if the REALTOR® becomes or is a member of another association.

All REALTORS® must complete the Code of Ethics training through NAR by December 31, 2018. Failure to complete training during any cycle will lead to suspension of membership for the January and February immediately following the cycle deadline, with termination of membership starting March 1 after the cycle deadline.

Current Cycle

January 1, 2017 to December 31, 2018

Future Cycles

January 1, 2019 to December 31, 2020 January 1, 2021 to December 31, 2022

If taking the online training, both the free course or the paid CE course will satisfy the requirement. You will need to have an account to complete either of the online training courses. To create an account, click New User Registration when you sign up.

Frequently Asked Questions

How can I check to see if I have completed the Code of Ethics requirement?You can check to see if you have completed the requirement on NAR's website. Log in to www.nar.realtor. Once logged in, click on My Account and then click on Manage Account. Under Other Links, click on View your Education Records (NRDS). If you see one of the Course Numbers below then you have completed the Code of Ethics requirement. If you do not see either Course Number listed then you still need to complete your Code of Ethics training before December 31, 2018.

Course Numbers - New Members:BPP COEN 20171BPP COEN 20181

Course Numbers - Continuing Members:BPP COEC 2017C5BPP COEC 2018C5

Do I still need to complete Code of Ethics training if I have Emeritus, Honorary or other Exempt Status from the BRE?Yes, ALL active REALTOR® members must complete COE by December 31, 2018 EXCEPT Emeritus Members. NAR Emeritus members do not have to complete Code of Ethics training.

I have completed my Code of Ethics training. How do I submit my certificate of completion?You may submit your certificate to info@ocar.org or by fax to 949-586-0382.

What classes will satisfy my Code of Ethics requirement?The following classes offered by OC REALTORS® will fulfill your Code of Ethics obligation.

Laguna Hills, April 23, 2018 - Over 118 aspiring real estate professionals attended “New REALTOR® Orientation,” a program hosted by the Orange County REALTORS®, one of California’s largest local associations of professional sales agents and related professionals.

“California requires sales agents to take specified coursework and sit for a licensing exam. To become a REALTOR®, state-licensed salespersons must adhere to a code of ethics, submit to continuing education requirements, and join the National and State Associations of REALTORS® in addition to joining a local board like Orange County REALTORS®,” explained Chief Executive Officer of Orange County REALTORS®, Dave Stefanides.

Stefanides went on to say, "In today’s competitive real estate market, new agents need to get up to speed and one of the best ways to do this is by joining a local association of REALTORS® that offers expertise in all areas of practice. OC REALTORS® has a fantastic learning track for new agents called “New REALTOR® Essentials” that includes training on the Residential Purchase Agreement (RPA), zipForms®, MLS tools and much more!"

Each New REALTOR® Orientation is facilitated by one or more Orange County REALTORS® members. This session was facilitated by Pam Pedego, REALTOR® and 2018 Chair of the Education Committee, along with fellow REALTORS® and Education Committee members Scott White and Chip McAllister.

When asked why Orientation is so important for new members, Pam Pedego said, "It's a kick start for your career. It's a great opportunity to network with other REALTORS® and understand that we are all on the same team. Team REALTOR®!"

Orange County REALTORS® hosts seven weekly marketing meetings throughout Orange County for members to promote their listings and network. Recently our Huntington Beach meeting, led by facilitator Lori Jones with Central Escrow Group, raised money for a great cause.

“At our annual review to discuss the Preview Meeting, our group voted on numerous non-profits in our community [to contribute to] and decided to choose the HB Tree Society,” said Lori Jones. The interest to contribute to the Huntington Beach Tree Society was sparked by past president and current REALTOR® member of Orange County REALTORS®, Barbara Delgleize. Jones went on to explain that “Barbara was very informative in regards to the Society and explained what they do for our town and it received the most votes at the time so we agreed to donate $2,000 to them.”

The Huntington Beach Tree Society was contacted and gladly accepted their donation of $2,000. Jean Nagy, president of The Huntington Beach Tree Society wrote in a letter to Lori Jones that the “money will be used to purchase more trees and drought tolerant plants for the parks of Huntington Beach.” Along with the thank you letter was a tree house which will be hung at the Meadowlark Golf Club where the meetings are held each week.

When asked what organization would be next up for donations, Jones said “We are now raising money for the Huntington Beach Council on Aging.”

To learn more about Orange County REALTORS® weekly marketing meetings, visit the webpage.

Orange County REALTORS® is excited to announce yet another free member benefit - Remine! Remine is a powerful tool combining visualization of in-depth property data with predictive analytics. CRMLS users can make the most of Remine’s billions of property records, map visualizations, and tracking features – at no additional cost.

Orange County REALTORS® is dedicated to providing members with valuable market data to utilize in the business. In order to provide a quick glance at the housing market, an OC Market Snapshot for both detached and attached homes will be posted online each month. Members can use these graphics for marketing materials and listing presentations. Be sure to also review the Monthly Housing Summary for a more comprehensive look at the County. For a detailed look at over 180 neighborhoods throughout Orange County, use OC FastStats.

The average of days on market for detached homes was 38 days. That is a drop from last year when it was 54 days. Attached homes sold in an average of 32 days compared to 46 days in March of last year.

The median sales prices in March for detached was $825,000 which is up 7.8% from 2017. Attached homes rose 6.5% to a median sales price of $506,000 from $475,000 last year.

Leaders from Orange County REALTORS® will join REALTORS® across the country to commemorate the 50th Anniversary of the Fair Housing Act, one of our country’s most significant laws guiding the real estate industry today.

“As we celebrate Fair Housing Month in April, it’s particularly important this year as we are also commemorating the 50th anniversary of the Fair Housing Act,” said Tammy Newland-Shishido, 2018 President of Orange County REALTORS®. “Fair housing makes us stronger, and as REALTORS®, we embrace our role being at the forefront of advancing fair housing and making a commitment to address fair housing issues,” said Newland-Shishido.

All year long, members of Orange County REALTORS®, will lead efforts to raise awareness of fair housing issues by reaffirming their commitment to uphold fair housing laws and offering equal professional service to all in their search for real property.

“The passage of the Fair Housing act represents a huge step toward ensuring that all Americans have a chance to live where they choose, but there’s still much for REALTORS® and others in the real estate community to do,” said Newland-Shishido.

President Lyndon B. Johnson signed the Fair Housing Act into law on April 11, 1968, noting that the right to fair housing “is now a part of the American way of life.” The legislation now prohibits discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, handicap, familial status, and national origin.

It is with great sadness that we announce the passing of a beloved member, Gene S. Griffith. Gene went to be with the Lord on February 17, 2018 in Mission Viejo, California. Gene was a beloved Mother, Grandmother, Great Grandmother, and Friend.

Gene was born in Charleston, Mississippi and then moved to Ashland, Kansas at nine years old where she attended primary school through high school. Gene attended the University of Kansas in Lawrence, Kansas as a Kappa Kappa Gamma and graduated in 1959. She married soon after and gave birth to her first son Todd in Massachusetts. Gene and her family made their way to Dana Point, California and gave birth to her second son Scott. They moved to Huntington Beach where she gave birth to her third son David. Gene was raising a family and had a modeling career for a few years before moving to Mission Viejo in 1970. A few years later she got a divorce and got her real estate license. She enjoyed her real estate career for nearly 40 years primarily serving the Saddleback Valley.

Gene was involved in many organizations: Kappa Kappa Gamma, PEO, Red Hat Club, and various women’s bible study groups. She loved to volunteer and spent many hours doing so at Saddleback Church and her local senior center.

We are now accepting applications to be a 2019 C.A.R. or NAR Director. All applications are due to Debby Ritter by June 27, 2018.

State Director Responsibilities

Maintain a REALTOR® membership in good standing at OC REALTORS®

Abide by the terms of OC REALTORS®’ “State Director Commitment and Policy on Travel”

Act as an ambassador for OC REALTORS® and its members while fulfilling your duties as a state director

Agree to a three (3) to five (5) year commitment

Attend all three (3) State business meetings scheduled annually

Actively serve on three (3) State Committees; they may be assigned as Leadership deems fit

Submit a written report detailing the issues and outcomes at each committee meeting assignedor requested within two (2) weeks.

Invest at least $148 in the REALTOR® Action Fund (RAF) while serving as a State Director

Serve in a volunteer capacity at OC REALTORS®, as a committee or task force member, as a project or eventvolunteer, or as a member of OC REALTORS®’ board of directors while serving as a State Director.